While billions of naira was allegedly being misappropriated in the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), scores of students on its scholarship abroad remained stranded, and the outbreak of coronavirus has worsened their situation.
The students, who are beneficiaries of the Commission’s postgraduate foreign scholarship programme, have told BusinessDay that their tuition and grants for living expenses have remained unpaid, increasing the possibility that they may fail to complete their programmes.
This is also the same fate facing students under the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) scholarship scheme.
“I have not been paid my stipend since last year December. I have no doubt in my mind that the fund is committed to our welfare here. This is why I am pleading unto you to help me remind the people in charge to help ease my suffering here,” one student wrote to an official of the PTDF pleading for payment.
“My suffering here has taken a new dimension leaving me with zero chances of survival. As you may know, I have been surviving by borrowing and at this point nobody wants to lend me money because of my inability to pay my initial debt to them. Please I really need help financially and I would really appreciate any assistance extended,” the student wrote.
Hundreds of students on scholarship from the Nigerian government have been stranded abroad since 2018. Their tuition and living expenses have been unpaid and officials have often failed to provide an explanation. Many now survive on the kindness of strangers and support from family members.
Their plights have become worsened by the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic with schools abroad forced to shut down. Many are facing deportation because they can no longer pay for accommodation. Some have been sent away from campus and are now living with friends.
Kalu Otisi, spokesperson of the PTDF, did not respond to BusinessDay enquiries about the agency’s plans for the students stranded abroad.
The scholarship programmes instituted under the government of former President Goodluck Jonathan ran into troubled waters when in 2015, he lost the general elections and Muhammadu Buhari came into power and the funding became infrequent.
The PTDF is a Federal Government agency with the mandate of developing indigenous human capacity and petroleum technology to meet the needs of the oil and gas industry.
It routinely invites applications from Nigerians for Overseas MSc and PhD Scholarships to institutions under its UK strategic partnership initiative. Successful candidates were awarded scholarships to study in the UK.
Under the scheme, candidates are invited to apply through PTDF to specific programmes at the partner institutions in any of the countries. The award includes the provision of flight tickets, payment of health insurance, payment of tuition and bench fees (where applicable) as well as the provision of allowances to meet the costs of accommodation and living expenses.
Following concerns over the spread of coronavirus in Nigeria, the management of the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) in February suspended the selection interviews for the award of 2020/2021 Overseas Scholarship.
The suspension is a precautionary measure to limit the risk of exposure to the virus by shortlisted candidates, interview panel and staff of the Fund. A new date for the continuation of the exercise will be announced in due course and all affected candidates will be duly notified of further developments regarding the exercise.
Six thousand and five candidates were shortlisted to participate in the exercise made up of 3969 MSc and 2036 PhD applicants, even when others are still stranded abroad.
